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Temple of Karnak
circa 2055 BC to circa 100 AD
About:
• The largest religious building ever constructed.
• The temple of Karnak was known as Ipet-isu—or “most select of
places”—by the ancient Egyptians.
• After a century of foreign rule, the New Kingdom (1550-1150 BC) of Egypt
emerged, with its capital at Thebes
• When the pharoah Akhenaton abandoned the traditional worship of Amun and took
up the worship of Aten(sun god), he built a temple to Aten at Karnak. But after his
death, the Theban priests destroyed all signs of sun worship at Karnak elsewhere.
a. first pylon b. the great court
c. Ramesses III chapel d. Hypostyle Hall
e. Tuthmosis III Hall f. the sacred lake
g. Thutmose III pylon h. temple of Khonsu
Function:
• In the Egyptian language, the Temple of Amun is usually referred to as PerAmun, or
• In many ways, the temple indeed played the role of the godʼs abode on earth.
• godʼs statue was provided daily with food, drink, and sweet smelling incense and
oils.
• On special occasions, including many annual festivals, a godʼs statue would leave his
Amun, the “hidden one,” most often wore a fl at-topped headdress with two tall
plumes.
Mut, whose name in the Hieroglyphic alphabet was spelled with a sign for the vulture,
was often depicted
wearing a distinctive headdress with the vultureʼs wings covering her hair.
Khonsu, associated with the moon, usually wore a crown with a crescent and moon
disk. He could
be depicted both as a child, wearing the side ponytail that marked childhood
in Egyptian society
Pictures:
Columns in the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak.
Columns in the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak.
CULT TEMPLES:
Temple of Luxor
circa 1400 BCE
About:
• A large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank
of Nile River in Luxor (modern), Thebes (ancient)
Amenhotep III
Entrance, with Courtyard of
Nectanbo and Pylon of Ramses II
an avenue of human headed sphinxes of over one and a half miles connection to Karnac
Used once a year during festivals, in which an image of Amun travels from Karnac
Dromos (approach) with Sphinxes, west
side and obelisk at the main entrance
an avenue of human headed sphinxes of over one and a half miles connection to Karnac
Used once a year during festivals, in which an image of Amun travels from Karnac
Southwest corner and west Collonade of
the Courtyard of Ramses II
Passing through the pylon entrance, the courtyard has numerous statues of the pharoah
the Collonade of Amenhotep III and the
Mosque (Abu 'I-Haggag)
Has seven pairs of 52-foot(16m) high open flower papyrus columns, which supported
References:
• http://www.ask-aladdin.com/Temples-of-Egypt/luxortemple.html
• http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/luxortemple.htm
• http://www.ask-aladdin.com/Temples-of-Egypt/Temple-of-karnak.html#
• http://discoveringegypt.com/karnak-temple/
• http://dlib.etc.ucla.edu/projects/Karnak/assets/media/resources/IntroductionToT
heTempleOfKarnak/guide.pdf
• http://www.sacred-destinations.com/egypt/luxor-karnak-temple